Music News

Lionel Richie takes “I Call It Love” to #1 on Billboard Adult R&B chart

By Patrick Luce Aug 29, 2006, 19:04 GMT

In its 6th week out, with an audience of nearly 40 million across six different radio formats – Adult R&B, Adult Contemporary, Pop, Rhythmic Top 40, Urban Mainstream and Smooth Jazz – legendary singer/songwriter and Island recording artist Lionel Richie’s “I Call It Love” hits #1 on the Billboard Adult R&B Chart this week.

The video for “I Call It Love,” starring Lionel’s daughter Nicole Richie, was immediately added into rotation at VH1.

Shot in Los Angeles by Jessey Terrero (credits: 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop,” “Outta Control,” more), the video had its explosive world premiere on aolmusic.com on August 15th, where it was played nearly 100,000 times in 24 hours.

“I Call It Love” (written and produced by Stargate and Taj) is the first single pick from ‘Coming Home’ - Lionel Richie’s long-awaited third album on Island Records due to arrive in stores on September 12th.  The new album, featuring nine songs written/co-written by Richie, is an all-star collaboration with today’s most prolific contemporary hitmakers, including Jermaine Dupri, Raphael Saadiq, Dallas Austin, Sean Garrett, Chuckii Booker, and others. 

Richie’s string of 15 consecutive top 10 R&B hits between 1981 and 1992 (five of which hit #1) – 13 of which were consecutive top 10 pop hits (also including five #1’s) – stands as one of the most enviable achievements in chart history. 

This #1 is the first at the Adult R&B format. His countless awards, also including multiple Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, People’s Choice Awards, ASCAP Awards, an Oscar, the World Music Lifetime Achievement Award, and more, were capped when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.